Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

The Rosa Parks: How I Fought for Civil Rights website includes an interview, a biography, and other reading material that can be easily viewed full-screen on your classroom interactive whiteboard (or with a projector). The site is easy to navigate with links built right into the text for vocabulary and other relevant information. The activities help students understand the importance and necessity of every individual citizen in a democracy working together to contribute to a better way of life for all.

tag(s): african american (110), black history (124), civil rights (194), cultures (132), martin luther king (43), rosa parks (9), tolerance (9), women (137)

Oral history has become an increasingly important tool in understanding recent history. This site chronicles the stories of those who have been personally affected by the testing of nuclear weapons in Nevada between 1951 and 1992. You can browse a very rich list of individual transcripts or search by category of interviewee. There is a fairly short list of video interviews. There is a nice timeline that puts the development of nuclear weapons in the US into perspective. Finally, there is a link to information about the test site as a place, both as a place for testing, a place for protesting, and a sacred place to native people.

tag(s): 1900s (73), 1950s (9), cold war (30)

Need a PowerPoint? Check this site first to find one on a topic you need from the vast array available. The free PowerPoints and interactive activities are easily downloaded. To find the FREE PowerPoint presentations, click on the FREE Presentations in PowerPoint Format link found directly under the red train. There are literally hundreds of topics (over 1,200 at the time of this review). Topics are listed in alphabetical order. There are so many topics: Plagiarism, Integers, Interjections, IQ Tests, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Graphic Organizers, Graphs, Gold Rush, the Bible, Economics, Amelia Earhart (and many other heroes), Descriptive Writing, Coral Reefs, Civil Rights Movement, Autism, Ancient Civilizations, Presidents, Louisiana Purchase, Money, Music Instruments, How to Write an Outline, Rosa Parks, Resumes, Terrorism, Vietnam War, and many MANY others. Primary teachers will appreciate simple activities on Dolch words and other sight vocabulary! Pages are arranged in topics such as "Plants and Animals," "World History," "Biology, Chemistry, and Physics," and "Problem Solving." There are many professional topics on exceptionalities, as well. Each page includes a vast array of subtopics. Other links on the page include "Greta's Game Station" and "Hannah's Help" which offers information on researching.

tag(s): 20th century (59), adhd (28), back to school (63), electricity (60), flight (31), inventors and inventions (71), literature (217), parts of speech (40), polar (11), politics (112), speech (66), states (122), war of 1812 (14), world war 1 (72), world war 2 (149)

Created by the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Fund, the full title of this site is "Echoes From The Wall: History, Learning and Leadership through the Lens of The Vietnam War Era." The approach is the Vietnam War era with a focus on history, leadership, citizenship, and civic responsibility. The site has good primary source research materials and an interactive timeline, as well as a detailed teacher's guide with teaching modules. Scroll to the bottom of the page to Outside Resources and find teacher's guides to several topics regarding the Vietnam War.

tag(s): 1950s (9), 1960s (27), memorial day (12), vietnam (35)

A project from the University of Illinois describing how life has changed throughout American development. Materials and lesson plans for all age levels.

tag(s): 20th century (59), cultures (132)